Seal for car doors



May 17, 1921. 1,628,655

w. .1. comm ET AL SEAL won CAR DOORS Filed March 6. 1925 2 Shuts-Sheet 1 i mmqx 1737/5111; zJalterg/i 60hr Zola-5 mchbra Mq 1'1,'-;19z7.] 1,628,655

. W. J. COLVIN ET AL SEAL- FOR CAR DOORS Filedlarch 1925 2 Shuts-Sheet 2 Patented my 17, 1927.

UNITED STATES WALTER J. COLVIN AND LOUIS KIRSCHBRAUN, 0F OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

SEAL FOR CAR DOORS.

Application filed March 6, 1925. Serial No. 13,443.

This invention relates to improvements in seals for car doors, and refers more particularly to improvements in a device for sealing the locks of freight car doors.

In its specific embodiment, the present in- '\"ention contemplates the use of a breakable closure plaque which is inserted in place to seal the look after the car door has been closed and locked. The breakable plaque must be fractured to allow the removal of the bolt and unlocking of the door.

Goods valued at many thousands of dollars, are stolen annually from freight cars by thieves who have become expert in tampering with the present styles of seals, without leaving any evidence to indicate that the seal had been broken. This results in disagreements between shippers, consignees and transportation companies as to whom should bear the loss.

The device of the present invention cannot be tampered with, nor the plaque removed without fracturing same, indicating immediately that the seal has been broken. Various advantages and objects will appear from the following description.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a face View illustrating the invention in use with one kind of lock.

Figs. 2 and 3 are cross sectional views taken respectively on lines 2-2 and 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a face view illustrating the invention in use with a style of lock different from that shown in Fig. .1. Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on line. 5 of Fig. 4.

.l teferring in detail to the drawings, 1. designates the door of a railway freight car having the eye bolt 2 in which the chain 3 is anchored. The other end of this chain 3 is connected with a freely swinging locking bolt 4, which latter is apertured or slotted immediately adjacent its extremity as shown at 5. The seal designated as a whole at 6 comprises a retaining case or block 7 having flanges or extensions 8 through which the bolts9 extend, said bolts being secured in the door or frame 10 of the freight car. The block 7 may be of metal, wood or other suitable non-flexible material and is provided on its upper face with the in *ardly projecting inte ral lip-11, which latter preferably closes three sides of the block 7 which may be rectangular in shape, if desired, as shown, the

purpose being to leave one open end to per wit the insertion of the closure plaque 12.

The closure plaque .12 is made of brittle material such as glass, clay, tile or other ceramic .llat plate or analogous material capable of being rcai'lily fractured. e front portion of the closure plaque 1; may be slightly tapered on its under surface as shown at 13 to facilitate the insertion of the plate over the spring tensioned locking stud 1+1; held by the spring This locking stud 14 is adapted to register with a recess or aperture in the lower surface of the closure plaque as shown clearly in Figs. 2 and 5.. Fixed in the case 7 and projecting from the surface thereof is the pin 16 adapted to register with the aperture 5 in the locking bolt 4. An enlarged recessed portion 17 surrounds the pin 16.

The operation of the device will be apparent from the foregoing description. In sealing a car, the case 7 of course, being in place, the aperture 5 of locking bolt 4 is placed in registration with the projecting pin 16, as shown clearly in Figs. 2 and 5, the top of said bolt lying substantially flush with the upper surface of case 7, the body of the bolt lying in the recess 17. The closure plaque 12 is then slid over the spring tensioned locking stud 14 until the recess, heretofore described, on the lower surface of the plaque, registers with said stud. The lock is then sealed and the locking bolt 4 can not be removed from its locked position unless it is raised above the pin 16, or, in other words, in the direction of the closure plate. The. only way :in which the closure plate can be removed is to fracture same which destroys the seal. It is understood of course, that every car is sealed with a distinctive number, which, in the present instance, may

be engraved, stamped or otherwise permanently embossed or applied to the sealing plaque in such a way that it cannot be readily imitated or changed. Thus the fracturing of the plaque indicates immediately that the seal has been broken. The lips 11 on the retaining case or structure 7 can be heavy enough and constructed of such material as cast iron, certain hronzes and the like. that they will break more or less instantly if forced upward, and will not yield to any bending strains. The locking bolt 4: may be flat or rounded. It will be readily seen that the device of the present invention is absolutely foolproof.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 4 and 5, the seal is shown in use with a lock of the hasptype. Thefixed bracket 18' on the side 19 of the car is bifurcated at 20 to receive the end 21 of the hasp 22 on ino'vable door 23. The bracket 18 and hasp 22 are apertured on their ends as shown at 24 to receive the bolt 4. It is understood, of course, that the seal may be positioned above or below the hasp.

WVe claim asour invention:

1. In a car door seal, the combination with a retaining case having a plaque retaining means 6h its exposed surface and adapted to be attached to a car, a slot in said exposed surface, a pin projecting from the sura e of the slot, a separate spring tensioned locking stud mounted in and projecting from the surface of said case, an apertured locking boltadaptd to be placed insaid slot, the

aperture registering with saidpin, a breakableo'losure plaque having an interior recess inserted in said plaque retaining means, said interior recess being adapted to register with said spring tensioned locking stud to hold the plaque in locked position.

2. In a car door seal, the combination with a case of non-flexible material adapted to be attached to a freight car and having a retaining lip projecting upwardly and inwardly around the major portion of the upper surface thereof leaving a free space, of a recess in the surface of said case, projecting ieain's in said recess adapted to register with an apertured locking bolt placed in said recess, a tensioncd locking element projecting from the surface of said case, a, breakable closure plaque having a recess in its lower face inserted in the free space and held beneath the retaining lip, said recess registering with the tensioned locking element to secure same in locked position, said plaque retaining the bolt in place, releasable onl in the direction of the closure plaque when the latter has been fractured.

WALTER J. COLVIN. v LOUIS KIRsoI-IB'RAUN. 

